Looking Back at Our Earliest Years

Fifteen years ago, we at NovAntiqua Records embarked on a journey that would define a core part of our mission: to unearth and give new life to forgotten musical treasures. The very first release in our "Musica & Regime" series, featuring the exquisite duo of Stefano Zanobini (viola) and Andrea Landi (cello), was a bold step, and we're proud to revisit a review from the prestigious German magazine Das Orchester that perfectly captured its essence.
The article, originally published fifteen years ago, highlighted the album's ability to surprise on multiple levels, a testament to how much the classical repertoire has expanded since. The reviewer was immediately struck by the unusual combination of viola and cello—a "miniature ensemble" that might initially suggest amateur "house music." However, the album quickly proved to be a profound exploration of long-neglected works and composers.
The review also recognized the pioneering spirit of a "formation from the Italian Tuscany," a sign of the growing internationalization of a repertoire that had its roots in northern Europe. The album's concept, "Musica & Regime," aimed to illuminate the tragic fate of musicians and composers suppressed, exiled, or killed during the 20th century, a history so systematically brutal that it took decades for their names and works to be heard again.
While the critic noted that not all of the works on the album were directly tied to the political "Regime" in question, they praised the interpretation as truly remarkable. The duo's performance was lauded for its ability to balance the inherent "dark colors" of the instruments with an "impressive, almost Mediterranean-like lightness in tone," all without sounding superficial. This delicate balance, the review concluded, was an "astonishing high-wire act" that offered surprising new insights.
We are immensely proud that this inaugural release set the tone for the "Musica & Regime" series, which continues to be a cornerstone of our catalog. This review serves as a powerful reminder of our enduring commitment to musical discovery and historical preservation.

​https://dasorchester.de/artikel/musica-e-regime/​